------------------------------------------------------------------
ODRAZ B92, Belgrade Daily News Service
Odraz B92 vesti (by 3.30 PM), December 28, 1996
e-mail: beograd@siicom.com URL: http://www.siicom.com/odrazb/
odrazb92@b92.opennet.org http://www.siicom.com/b92/
------------------------------------------------------------------
All texts are Copyright 1996 Radio B92. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
------------------------------------------------------------------
NEWS BY 3.30 PM
------------------------------------------------------------------
OSCE REPORT ON SERBIAN ELECTIONS TOP NEWS IN GREAT BRITAIN
Former Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez's confirmation in
Geneva yesterday that the opposition coalition Zajedno had won in
the local elections in 14 major cities in Serbia was the headline
news in British electronic media news programs, reports Tamara
Milanovic for FoNet. The news was accompanied with footage of the
scenes from Belgrade streets where the protests have continued
despite a massive deployment of special forces to prevent the
protest marches. The scenes showing the police beating up
demonstrators and foreign cameramen were broadcast on British TV
news as clear evidence that Serbian President Milosevic obviously
does not want the world to know what is going on in Belgrade.
In a statement to the British Channel Four, OSCE Chairman Flavio
Cotti underlined that Felipe Gonzalez did not go to Belgrade at
OSCE's urging, but in response to Milosevic's invitation and that
the organization gave this mission a mandate only after Belgrade
had demanded it. Former peace mediator for ex-Yugoslavia Lord
David Owen said that the OSCE's proposal gave the Serbian
President a chance to embark on democratization of the country's
political life and introduction of market economy in Serbia.
Judging that this is the greatest test for Milosevic since the end
of the war in Bosnia, Lord Owen remarked that the Serbian
President still has absolute power in Serbia: if power corrupts,
absolute power corrupts absolutely.
The Foreign Office condemned Serbian authorities for the use of
force, estimating that such actions can do harm to Yugoslavia's
already rocky relations with the international community. Official
London demanded that Belgrade respond appropriately to all
efforts, including those of the OSCE, to resolve the crisis
peacefully.
RUSSIAN MEDIA: SPANISH SOCIALIST FAILS TO SUPPORT SERBIAN
COUNTERPART
Most of the influential Russian media judge that the official
Belgrade had decided in advance not to accept the OSCE's position,
reports for FoNet Branko Stosic. The Serbian opposition and the
participants in massive anti-government protests have received
staunch international support in the OSCE's recognition that the
opposition was denied its victory. As far as Belgrade authorities
are concerned, however, this will be all the satisfaction they are
likely to get, assess the Russian media. Deployment of mass
special police squads on the streets of Belgrade, who now
practically rival the demonstrators in their numbers, shows that
the authorities have embarked on a show-down with the protesters.
While the official Moscow remains silent about the final statement
by the OSCE, Moscow media assess that the turning point was
Milosevic's realization that he would not have the Spanish
socialist's support. The daily Svedovnja says this is the point
when the Serbian authorities decided to announce that the
resolution of the crisis belongs to Serbian internal affairs. The
daily Izvestia said the police were given a signal to embark on an
active show-down with the demonstrators only after Milosevic had
taken this position. The commercial television network NTV said
Milosevic found himself cornered once the OSCE's position was made
public. There is no doubt that Serbian authorities will not accept
recommendations of Gonzalez's mission to revoke the nullification
and restore the local electoral results and Zajedno's victory,
NTV's reporter from the Balkans said. Yugoslav Foreign Minister
Milutinovic's statement last night was obviously meant to buy the
regime some time. The actions by the police deployed in Belgrade
show how this time has been used so far.
CPJ PROTESTS
The Committee to Protect Journalists has sent a stern protest to
Belgrade authorities at the police beating of several journalists
covering opposition demonstrations. AFP reports that the CPJ
statement observed that, judging by the police brutality used
against reporters and the confiscation of several journalists'
cameras, video tapes and films, Serbian authorities seem to be
carrying out a state policy of discouraging both local and foreign
media coverage of public events. The CPJ statement mentions 7
incidents which occurred on December 26 and 27, when reporters
were beaten up and their equipment damaged. Some of the
journalists had to seek medical assistance.
ANOTHER INDEPENDENT RADIO BANNED
The sole independent electronic medium in Montenegro, Radio
``Antena M'' in Podgorica, has had its frequency license revoked.
The radio's previous two applications for the extension of their
frequency license went unanswered. This radio was the only
electronic medium to broadcast live interviews and statements by
opposition representatives and, in co-operation with Radio B92, to
daily inform about the latest events in Serbia.
ZAJEDNO PROTEST RALLIES IN ZAJECAR AND PIROT
Despite extremely poor weather conditions, coalition Zajedno held
protest rallies last night in both Zajecar and Pirot. In both
cities the turn-out was some 1,000. The marches in the two cities
went without any incidents and the police forces monitoring them
were scarce.
TESTIMONY OF BELGRADER BEATEN UP BY POLICE
Belgrade NGO Information Center reports a testimony by a Belgrader
who was beaten up by the police in downtown Belgrade after they
had prevented another of by-now usual peaceful protest marches.
According to Zoran Nikolic, around 17:15 on December 26, he and a
group of citizens standing on the sidewalk near the Balkans Hotel
were attacked by the police for shouting ``Let's go marching! .''
The police, who had formed a cordon, turned around towards the
group and started beating the demonstrators, both those on the
sidewalk and those who happened to be on the road, claims Nikolic.
He said he was hit on the back of the head and fell to the ground.
The police then hit him with clubs and kicked him twice on the
head, after which he started losing consciousness. One of the
police lifted him up, pulled him to the Balkans Hotel and told him
to take shelter there. He was later taken to the Trauma Center
along with 2 other casualties.
AL GABID: POSITION TO SANDZAK CRUCIAL FOR RESTORATION OF RELATIONS
Secretary General of the Islamic Conference Hamid al Gabid said
that better conditions now exist to influence the Federal Republic
of Yugoslavia to grant the Sandzak Moslems their rights. These
conditions have arisen out of FR Yugoslavia's interest in re-
establishing relations with Islamic countries. The level and speed
at which this process will take place will depend on Belgrade's
attitude to Sandzak.
Prepared by: Aleksandra Scepanovic
Edited by: Ian Balfour
------------------------------------------------------------------
ODRAZ B92, Belgrade Daily News Service
e-mail: beograd@siicom.com URL: http://www.siicom.com/odrazb/
odrazb92@b92.opennet.org http://www.siicom.com/b92/
------------------------------------------------------------------